Arbor Grove Elementary Principal Brenda Davis has been busy in the week since the new school opened, but for Davis and the rest of the staff and students, a few early-year headaches are well worth it.

When students at Arbor Grove and Putnam City Schools went back to school this year, the building was finished, but some furniture and other items weren’t in place. The school’s playgrounds and soccer field aren’t finished yet. But what has been available for use is getting rave reviews.

“Every time they reveal another piece, it’s just like Christmas,” Davis said of the playground equipment.

The new building, at 4711 N Tulsa, features a cavernous media center and a lunch room separated from the gym by a removable wall.

“The acoustic panels help keep the noise down,” Davis said. “We can serve more kids at once, rather than one long line. We have a sound system now, so kids can hear if someone is talking on a microphone. It’s just a fantastic space.”

Prekindergarten and kindergarten classrooms have their own restrooms, eliminating the need for students to leave the room. Several classrooms double as tornado-safe rooms that can accommodate all staff and students in the event of an emergency.

The new restrooms solve an old problem.

“We have a lot of them,” Davis said. “With the older buildings, they didn’t build as many bathrooms because of the expense. Previously, we had boys bathrooms upstairs and girls downstairs for fifth-graders. Now they don’t have to walk far.”

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by Matt Patterson

Reporter

Matt Patterson has been with The Oklahoman since 2006. Prior to joining the news staff in 2010, Patterson worked in The Oklahoman's sports department for five years. He previously worked at The Lawton Constitution and The Edmond Sun....